Forgiven boy, 14, spared sentence for knife attack in school

A then 13-year-old boy, who held a knife to another pupil during an attempted stabbing in a Dublin school, has been spared a criminal conviction and a sentence after he was forgiven by his victim.

The accused, now aged 14, had pleaded guilty earlier to production of a knife during an assault, in a manner likely to injure or cause serious harm, and another charge for assaulting the boy with intent to cause bodily harm.

The incident happened in a secondary school in Dublin in 2018.

He appeared again at the Dublin Children’s Court when a positive probation report was furnished on the first-time offender. Judge Brendan Toale applied the Probation of Offenders Act.

A victim impact statement had also been furnished. The court heard the young victim did not hold it against the teen and did not want him to get into trouble.

Earlier, defence counsel told the court the teenager, who was accompanied to court by a family member, had been attending a child and adolescent mental health clinic, the court heard.

His mother had been provided with a letter with a diagnosis and there was consent to copies of the doctor’s notes being provided to the Probation Service.

The Director of Public Prosecution had recommended the boy should face trial on indictment, in the circuit court, which has tougher sentencing powers.

However, the juvenile court accepted jurisdiction for the case, under Section 75 of the Children Act.

That allows it to deal with the prosecutions involving serious allegations by taking into account the age and level of maturity of the defendant.

After jurisdiction was accepted the boy entered a guilty plea.

The court heard the incident happened following an exchange of insults when the accused held a knife to the pupil and attempted to stab him.

No physical injuries were sustained.